A connecting element is provided for connecting two items of installation equipment to each other. The two items of installation equipment each have a housing formed of two shell-shaped housing parts having protrusions extending out from the housing parts, each housing has a broad side and the broad side of each housing is lined up beside each other and against each other.
A single-pole electrical line-protection circuit breaker has a housing that has a shell-like configuration, the front edges of the shell walls are placed against each other. The two shells are fixed to each other by rivets.
Such single-pole line-protection circuit breakers can be combined to form multi-pole circuit breakers. It is known to rivet the individual poles to each other.
Such riveted connections are technically complicated, since, first, they make it necessary to keep a stock of rivets and, second, an operation has to be provided with which the riveting is performed.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a connecting element for two items of installation equipment lined up beside each other with their broad sides against each other, and a method of connecting the items of installation equipment which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art methods and devices of this general type, in which the connection operation of the two items of installation equipment that are to be connected to each other is simplified.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a connecting element for connecting two items of installation equipment to each other. The two items of installation equipment each have a housing formed of two shell-shaped housing parts having protrusions extending out from the housing parts. The housing has an end side and the end side of each housing is lined up beside each other and against each other. The connecting element contains a substantially cylindrical shaped base body having an outer diameter, and two radially springy spreading arms integrally molded to the base body and projecting axially in opposite directions from the base body. The two spreading arms have an outside diameter being smaller than the outside diameter of the base body and free ends with radially protruding lugs forming the free ends. The lugs latching in behind the protrusions formed on the housing of each of the two items of installation equipment located beside each other for connecting the two items of installation equipment to each other.
According to the invention, the connecting element has an approximately cylindrical base body with a first outside diameter onto which, on both sides, two radially springy spreading arms project axially in opposite directions are integrally molded. The radial outer contour constitutes a cylindrical surface and their free ends have radially protruding lugs which, when assembled, latch in behind protrusions on the housings of the items of installation equipment to be connected by the connecting part.
The assembly, that is to say the method of assembling the two items of installation equipment using the connecting element configured in accordance with the invention is then simple. The connecting element is pushed with its spreading arms into one housing and the other housing is slipped over the spreading arms projecting from the one housing, which produces the connection between the two items of installation equipment. As far as the outlay on assembly is concerned, this type of connection is very simple and can be carried out without tools. When connecting two or more line-protection circuit breakers to form a multi-pole device, additional operations, which would be necessary to place the switches on one another, are no longer needed.
According to an advantageous refinement of the invention, the connecting element has the shape of a sleeve that has an axial longitudinal slot that is disposed centrally. With this refinement, the base body is also springy, so that it serves to center the items of installation equipment located beside each other.
In this way, by use of the one longitudinal slot, the spreading arms are separated from each other on one side; in order to form the spreading arms, further slots are introduced in the area of the spreading arms, diametrically opposite the longitudinal slot, and matched to the first.
In order that the assembly of the connecting elements is simplified, the free ends of the arms with the lugs are tapered conically to a point, so that the diameter of the sleeve shape at the ends is smaller than the diameter in the area of the lugs.
In order that tolerances in the housings can be compensated for, the transition face of the base body to the spreading arms and the transition face from the spreading arms to the lugs is in each case conical, the cone angle being slightly less than 180xc2x0.
This achieves the situation where the protrusion bears on the lugs, even in the event of an unfavorable tolerance situation.
In order that the connecting element remains firmly held between the two housings, a pin is inserted into the interior of the sleeve for fixing the connecting element in place. The pin prevents the longitudinal edges of the longitudinal slot or of the spreading arms springing towards one another. If, for example, an auxiliary switch is to be fixed to an item of switchgear, such a pin is generally not necessary. Ultimately, the pin is not necessary when the elasticity of the connecting element is not high, that is to say the connecting element is relatively stiff.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the base body combined with the spreading arms are in a form of a sleeve having an axial longitudinal slot formed therein disposed centrally between the lugs.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the lugs each have a free end that is tapered conically to a point.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the base body has end faces, onto which the spreading arms are integrally molded, are obtusely conically shape with cone angles being open towards each other, and in that a cone angle is less than 180xc2x0.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the lugs have rear faces disposed opposite the end faces of the base body, the rear faces have a conical shape with a cone angle that is open in an opposite direction and is less than 180xc2x0.
In accordance with another added feature of the invention, a pin is disposed in the axial longitudinal slot of the sleeve, the pin fixes and prevents the spreading arms from springing towards each other.
In accordance with another additional feature of the invention, the two items of installation equipment are selected from the group consisting of line-protection circuit breakers and residual current circuit breakers.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for connecting two items of installation equipment. The method includes providing a connecting element formed of a substantially cylindrical base body having an outer diameter, and two radially springy spreading arms integrally molded to the base body and projecting axially in opposite directions from the base body. The two spreading arms each have an outside diameter being smaller than the outside diameter of the base body and free ends with radially protruding lugs. The connecting element is latched into a first item of installation equipment having an opening formed therein for receiving the connection element. The first item of installation equipment has protrusions extending into the opening and disposed on a broad side for latching the connecting element. A second item of installation equipment is pressed against the first item of installation equipment, at right angles to the broad side of the first item of installation equipment. The connecting element is received in an opening formed in the second item of installation equipment and held by protrusions extending into the opening on a broad side of the second item of installation equipment.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a connecting element for two items of installation equipment lined up beside each other with their broad sides against each other, and a method of connecting the items of installation equipment, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.